A new anthology gathers writings on New York's Central Park, which includes an observation by the artist Christo that the park is "the most unusual and surrealistic place in New York City."
Other writers in the anthology share Christo's take on the park, offering up surreal fiction or non-fiction reflections, writes reviewer Michiki Kakutani:
"Perhaps this has to do with the illusion that Olmsted and Vaux created, using artifice to make an exhilarating work of art that is at once a marvel of nature and the most cherished public space in New York City. Perhaps it has something to do with the electric green of the park, set against the concrete gray of the city streets, or the landscape's organic asymmetries, so rigidly contained by its geometric frame. Perhaps it is simply the tranquillity and repose offered by this pastoral haven of quiet, deep in the heart of the noisy metropolis," writes Kakutani.
FULL STORY: Writers Muse on New York’s Village Green
Design in the Time of Cholera: How Pandemics Reshaped the Built Environment
Some of the most beloved public parks and essential advances in public sanitation can be traced back to their roots in the Cholera outbreaks in the 1800s.
Looking at Olmsted and His Legacy
A new television documentary on Frederick Law Olmsted looks at the legacy of his Central Park and the sometimes serendipitous way he was able to leave an impact on the urban landscape of the U.S.
Central Park Climate Lab Launches With a Mission to Save Urban Parks
A unique partnership will offer tools and resources for protecting urban parks from the effects of climate change.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
California Grid Runs on 100% Renewable Energy for Over 9 Hours
The state’s energy grid was entirely powered by clean energy for some portion of the day on 37 out of the last 45 days.
New Forecasting Tool Aims to Reduce Heat-Related Deaths
Two federal agencies launched a new, easy-to-use, color-coded heat warning system that combines meteorological and medical risk factors.
AI Traffic Management Comes to Dallas-Fort Worth
Several Texas cities are using an AI-powered platform called NoTraffic to help manage traffic signals to increase safety and improve traffic flow.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
